Students Encouraged to Vote as Part of Winthrop Decision 2016

Quick Facts

Called Winthrop Decision 2016, the initiative is a campus-wide movement to register, educate and encourage students to vote leading up to the Nov. 8 election. At stake are local, state and national races, including who will be our next president. The goal is to get Winthrop students to the polls in November and to earn Voter Friendly Campus designation based on the university’s efforts. The campus is encouraged to use the hashtag: #WUDecide to share voting and political experiences.

Karen Kedrowski

Frank Ardaiolo

ROCK HILL, SOUTH CAROLINA – Winthrop University will spend much of the fall focused on the upcoming November elections and teaching students about their civic responsibilities.

Called Winthrop Decision 2016, the initiative is a campus-wide movement to register, educate and encourage students to vote leading up to the Nov. 8 election. At stake are local, state and national races, including who will be our next president.

The goal is to get Winthrop students to the polls in November and to earn Voter Friendly Campus designation based on the university’s efforts. The campus is encouraged to use the hashtag: #WUDecide to share voting and political experiences.

The Winthrop effort is led by Frank Ardaiolo, vice president for student life, and Karen Kedrowski, dean of the College of Arts and Sciences. “Voting is a habit – one that Winthrop University wants its students to acquire,” said Kedrowski, a political science professor. “The university is doing its best to encourage students to register, become educated on the issues of the day, and turn out to vote on election day. This is just one part of the university’s commitment to ensuring our students become engaged citizens for life.”

One of the most visible programs is the voting ambassadors program. The ambassadors are Winthrop students who act as a resource to fellow classmates on how to register to vote. More than 25 students have been trained about S.C. election laws, voter registration requirements and how to request absentee ballots.

There are numerous events throughout the fall, all of which are free and open to the public. Some highlighted events include:

• Constitution Day: Federalism and the Constitution Through a Historical Global LensSept. 15, 11 a.m.Richardson Ballroom, DiGiorgio Campus CenterMartha Kropf, professor of political science at University of North Carolina, Charlotte, will speak on federal and state election laws. The event is sponsored by the John C. West Forum on Politics and Policy.

• A Voteless People is a Hopeless PeopleSept. 20, 7-8:30 p.m.Dina’s Place, DiGiorgio Campus CenterXi Phi Chapter of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity Inc. will host "A Voteless People is a Hopeless People" to educate young people about the 2016 Presidential candidates, voting process and voting deadlines. John Holder of the Department of Political Science and a representative from College Democrats will be representing the Democratic Party. Library Dean Mark Herring and a representative from College Republicans will represent the Republicans.

• Women and Presidential Election PoliticsSept. 20, 11 a.m.Dina’s Place, DiGiorgio Campus CenterKaren Kedrowski, dean of the College of Arts and Sciences, will discuss gender dynamics in the Presidential election. It is sponsored by the John C. West Forum, Department of Political Science and the Women’s and Gender Studies program.

• Presidential Debate Watch Party Sept. 26, 8:30 p.m.Dina’s Place, DiGiorgio Campus CenterThe nonpartisan, nonprofit Commission on Presidential Debates will host the First Presidential Debate of the 2016 Election on Monday, Sept. 26, at Hofstra University, Long Island, New York at 9 p.m. Political science professors will attend the watch party to help provide context, answer questions, and facilitate discussion before, during commercial breaks, and after the debate.

• National Student Voter Registration Day Meal Sept. 27, Thomson CafeCome eat the favorite foods of our presidential candidates. The meal is organized by the Office of Student Activities and ARAMARK.

• 8th Annual Banned Book ReadingSept. 27, 7 p.m.215 Sims BuildingEnglish students and others will lead the 8th annual Banned Book Reading with the guidance of Casey Cothran of the Department of English. They will read passages from:“The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Nighttime,” by Mark Haddon“Beyond Magenta: Transgender Teens Speak Out,” by Susan Kuklin“Nasreen's Secret School,” by Jeanette Winter“Habibi,” by Craig Thompson“Two Boys Kissing,” by David Leviathan

• Stay Woke and Vote Tour Sept. 28, 6-8 p.m.McBryde HallThe NAACP Youth and College Division’s “Stay Woke and Vote Tour” will converge on college campuses to energize and engage millennials; promote voter education, encourage voter registration, voter demonstrations and increase overall voter participation. A panel from the Youth and College division of the NAACP will discuss the importance of being informed voters.

• A Brief History of Presidential DebatesOct. 4, 11 a.m.Dina's Place, DiGiorgio Campus CenterKaren Kedrowski will give a brief history of Presidential Debates in the United States on the day of the Vice Presidential Candidate debate. Sponsored by the John C. West Forum.

• KNOW BETTER, DO BETTER: College, Racism, and YOUOct. 12, 7 p.m.Byrnes AuditoriumLawrence Ross recently released his latest book “BLACKBALLED: The Black and White Politics of Race at America's Campuses.” It is a blunt look at the history and current state of race relations for African-American students at predominately white institutions. His lecture, “KNOW BETTER, DO BETTER: College, Racism, and YOU” centers on informing students about the history of campus racism, how to prevent it and what to do about it. The event is hosted by the Office of Fraternity and Sorority Affairs and the Office of Diversity and Student Engagement.